


Falling Together

by lola_laroux



Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crowley Was Not Raphael Before Falling (Good Omens), Multi, Protective Gabriel, Punishment
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22573630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lola_laroux/pseuds/lola_laroux
Summary: In the weeks following the Apocalypse that failed, Heaven has been working on the proper punishment for Aziraphale but Gabriel is having second thoughts.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Gabriel (Good Omens), Crowley & Gabriel (Good Omens)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	Falling Together

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is. I've been working on this for weeks and couldn't bring myself to publish it until now. I have to thank OneofWebs for encouraging me to run with this, and course Top Crowley Hell. Love all of you!

Heaven and Hell were buzzing with a nervous sort of energy that only a failure, of epic proportions, could produce. The Apocalypse had been thwarted and everything the two respective parties had spent years preparing for was irrevocably ruined. To make matters worse, it was ruined by individuals who were supposed to be working against one another, not together. What those two individuals didn’t realize, was that both Heaven and Hell wanted payment for shattering all their precious work, and collection day was coming fast.

Heaven, it seemed, was just a bit more eager because they already decided the proper punishment for an angel who consorted with demons. If he was so keen on being with a demon, he should be one as well. Heaven would be rid of him and they could go back to planning another Apocalypse without his interference.

Gabriel had been enthusiastic about the punishment before but he was starting to doubt himself. Memories from the past were creeping in the corners of his consciousness and try as he might, they were affecting the way he felt about this whole thing. Yes, the Apocalypse was stopped but was that really such a bad thing? It gave Heaven more time to prepare to defeat Hell. Gabriel grimaced inwardly and was pulled from his reverie by a loud crack. When he looked up, Sandalphon was staring at him, red faced and seething.

“What were you saying?” Gabriel asked, mildly.

“I said I would go to Earth and retrieve The Principality. I’ve been wanting to teach that insubordinate wretch a lesson anyway,” Sandalphon replied. For good measure he slammed his fist into the tabletop again.

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. Uriel and Michael had already refused to go back to Earth and for that, he was grateful. Neither of them had much self control when it came to disobedience and Gabriel feared that Aziraphale would conveniently discorporate before he made it back to Heaven. Sandalphon had much more self control but Gabriel didn’t like how eager he was to be alone with the wayward angel. There was a terrible glint in his eyes whenever he spoke of punishing Aziraphale. No, he wouldn’t be sending Sandalphon to Earth to retrieve anyone. Even if he was preparing to cast an angel of the Lord into Hell, he wouldn’t allow Aziraphale to be defiled beforehand.

Gabriel smiled to hide his disgust and silence blanketed the room. Finally, he spoke, “As much as I enjoy and appreciate your enthusiasm, I’ve come to the conclusion that I should be the one to bring Aziraphale home. I don’t think there will be much resistance, seeing as that snake of his has been pulled back to Hell, where he belongs. Are there any objections to this? No? Excellent! Let’s get this show on the road!,” he finished with fake enthusiasm.

All three Archangels filed out of the room quietly and Gabriel was finally alone. His shoulders slumped and the air of confidence slipped away quickly. Alone with his thoughts, Gabriel couldn’t understand why Aziraphale had to be such a nuisance. It wasn’t enough that he started to question God's plan, he was consorting with a demon and not just any demon, it was one that Gabriel had a hand in creating. Aziraphale didn’t know who Crowley really was but Gabriel did and that realization was like a knife to his heart. Oh, he knew all about Crowley’s “sauntered vaguely downwards” story but Gabriel knew the truth and the truth was much worse. The memories came flooding back, and he was powerless to stop them.

_“I’m being punished for questioning why I was created? Because I want to know what my purpose is? Am I just supposed to spend the rest of my days blindly doing what I’m told simply because God deemed it necessary? It’s a farce Gabriel and you know it as well as I do!,” Samael shouted._

_Gabriel just shook his head slowly and pulled a scroll from out of nowhere. He tried to clear his throat but the lump that formed in the back wouldn’t go away, as hard as he tried. He knew if he spoke, he’d surely cry. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. He shouldn’t be standing here, about to read the charges against another Archangel. He shouldn’t be here about to punish his friend. He lowered the scroll and looked at Samael, who was currently chained in front of a large golden door, behind which the fires of Hell roared. There was a bruise blooming on his cheek and his eyes were shimmery with unshed tears. For as long as he lived, Gabriel would never forget those eyes, large and golden._

_“For Her sake, why couldn’t you have left well enough alone?! Why do you have to question everything? We were created to follow Her commands and not to question them, but no, you couldn’t do that and now you’re being cast out of Heaven!,” Gabriel’s voice cracked suddenly before he finished, “I’m the one who has to cast you out and I’ll have to live with this forever. You won’t remember who you are now but I will!”_

_Before Samael could reply, the room began filling with other angels. Some looked at him with pity, others with pure hate and disgust. Steeling himself against the looks and murmurs from the crowd, he looked at Gabriel and with a sharp nod, accepted his fate. When the room was full, Gabriel pulled the scroll out again and began to read, “Here stands the accused, Samael, Archangel of Heavens Highest order. Your crimes are as follows: questioning the authority of Heaven, hubris, lust, and inciting discord throughout the masses. For these crimes, you will be cast out of Heaven for eternity and into the fires of Hell. How do you plead?” When Gabriel finished speaking, he looked up pleadingly and prayed that Samael fought against this, when he spoke Gabriel lost all hope that this could somehow be fixed._

_“If I am to be cast out for asking questions then so be it. I had no idea that curiosity was a sin,” Samael replied sarcastically._

_“How do you plead, wretch?!,” a booming voice asked. Everyone turned to the source of the noise, and no one was really surprised to see Sandalphon standing closest to Gabriel, wings outstretched, preening like some grotesquely large bird. Samael smirked but still stayed silent. When he finally met Gabriel’s eyes, there was no love in that gaze just pure, unmitigated hatred._

_Samael chuckled and then began to laugh but there was no joy in it, just bitterness. When he did speak his voice filled the room, “You’re fools, all of you! You sit up here in this cage, thinking you’re all holier than thou but all the while, you’re the worst creatures to ever be created. You blindly follow rules and never ask why the rules are there to begin with. There will come a day when you too will question The Great Plan and I hope I’m there to witness it! I plead guilty! DO WHAT YOU CAME HERE TO DO GABRIEL! CAST ME OUT, DAMN YOU!”_

_Gabriel stood frozen in place, eyes wide and unblinking. He only moved when he felt the sharp jab of an elbow to his back. Stumbling forward, he made his way to the center of the room, and raised paused a few inches in front of Samael. Michael had already opened the portal, all Gabriel had to do was push and this whole thing would be over, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it._

_“Do what you were told, Gabriel. Be the obedient little angel I know you to be, or you’ll be joining me,” Samael sneered._

_“I didn’t want it to come to this. Why couldn’t you leave well enough alone?,” he asked softly. When he was given no reply, Gabriel placed both hands on Samael’s chest and pushed. The invisible chains gave way and Gabriel watched in horror as the doors opened and the fires of Hell all but swallowed his former friend. There was a moment of silence and then an ear shattering scream erupted from the flames before the door was shut. Gabriel collapsed to the floor and wept openly._

It had been thousands of years since Gabriel dared to relive that fateful day and the pain in his chest had never dulled. He reached up and rubbed his sternum as if that simple motion would somehow heal and fill the emptiness and hurt he felt. He had come to love Samael in a different way and to lose him forever was a burden on both his mind and heart. If anyone were watching him, they would've seen the curious range of emotions that passed over his face. Sadness, anger, thoughtfulness and then determination. Gabriel had made his mind up and he would surely pay the price, but whatever pain was coming his way, it couldn't be any worse than what he had been feeling for 6000 years.

To be continued….


End file.
